Gas turbine engines may typically include a fan, a compressor, a combustor, and a turbine, with an annular flow path extending axially through each. Initially, the fan, which is powered by the turbine, draws ambient air into the engine. Part of the air flows through the compressor where it is compressed or pressurized. The combustor then mixes and ignites the compressed air with fuel, generating hot combustion gases. These hot combustion gases are then directed from the combustor to the turbine where power is extracted from the hot gases by causing blades of the turbine to rotate. The other part of the airflow from the fan is used to generate forward thrust.
Due to the large volume of air moving across the fan blades, static electric charge may build up. With fan blades composed of a conductive metal that was grounded to a hub, the static charge would dissipate. Recently, however, fan blades have been composed of aluminum in order to increase a size, but not a weight, of the blades. A titanium sheath may cover a leading edge of the fan blade, while a grounding element made of like material may be positioned on a platform and a root of the fan blade in order to from a ground path to dissipate the static charge buildup.
However, in a saltwater environment (or other corrosive environment), a crevice between the sheath and the grounding element may retain saltwater particles (or other electrolyte particles). As a result, the ground path may be broken and galvanic corrosion may occur, thereby leading to an erosion of the leading edge and aluminum body. Accordingly, there exists a need for an improved configuration that provides a solid and reinforced ground path for the fan blades of a gas turbine engine.